CARGO DC8 PIC IS DISTR WHEN SPD INCREASES WHEN EFIS IS ENGAGED. PIC INITIATED ACTION WHICH CAUSES ACFT TO PITCH UP AND COMES IN CONFLICT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION B727.

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DEP CLRNC (ACFT #1) WAS A CLB TO 5000 FT MSL FOR A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT V4 FROM IIU TO HYK. DURING CLBOUT PASSING 4000 FT; TFC WAS CALLED BY ATC AND SIGHTED BY THE CREW (ACFT #2). AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AT THIS TIME. THE EFIS SYS ACCOMPLISHED A SMOOTH LEVELOFF AT 5000 FT. AT THIS POINT; I (THE PF) SWITCHED TO INS NAV WHICH DISTR ME ENOUGH TO RESULT IN AN AIRSPD EXCURSION TO 280 KTS. IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE SPD; I PRESSED THE 'SPD BUTTON ON THE EFIS MODE SELECT PANEL WHICH RESULTED IN A RAPID PITCH UP TO CAPTURE 250 KTS. TO ARREST THE CLB; AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND A PUSHOVER WAS INITIATED. A TOTAL OF 400 FT WAS GAINED DURING THE RECOVERY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THIS WAS MY SECOND DAY AS A NEW CAPT FOLLOWING TRAINING. AS A NEWCOMER TO EFIS; I FOUND MY INITIAL REACTION TO CORRECTING SPD DEV WAS TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. I HAVE FOUND IN THE PAST THAT IMMEDIATE REACTIONS -- ESPECIALLY IN NEW/DIFFERENT SITS -- TEND TO BE INAPPROPRIATE. IN THESE SITS IT USUALLY PAYS TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ASSESS THE SIT BEFORE TAKING ACTION THAT WILL SERVE ONLY TO MAKE THE SIT WORSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 411730: WE (ACFT #2) WERE ON A VECTOR TO THE DOWNWIND AT 6000 FT AT SDF. APCH CTL CALLED OUT DEPARTING TFC (ACFT #1) OFF RWY 17L; WHICH WE ACQUIRED VISUALLY. THE TFC WAS RPTED CLBING TO 5000 FT. WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA EVEN THOUGH WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT. TCASII SHOWED TFC PASSING UNDER US AT 500 FT BELOW. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN.